Jacobís Ladder is one of those places which has had its
fair share of ups and downs over the years. Being a
staircase you can understand why.

For
over 100 years Jacobís Ladder has been exhausting both
locals and tourists as they take on the challenge of walking
up the side of Mount Eliza. Sure it may look easy, but
remember to enjoy the panoramic view of Perth and the Swan
River before embarking on the climb.

A
brisk walk up the stairs may at first generate a
somewhat distorted view of Perth. Take it slowly,
otherwise your holiday memories will just be a blur.

The
Original Ladder - A Step Back In Time.

In 1909 Joseph
Huck and Sons, constructed the staircase based on plans provided by the
Perth City Engineer, Mr Henry Payne. The staircase needed 274
jarrah steps to descend 46 metres down Mount Eliza. Not having to worry about
an environmental impact study, a sandy track was cleared down each side
of the staircase for building access. Local lads were soon sliding down
the steep slopes on iron sheets, for the ultimate early 1900ís thrill
ride. Those lucky enough, finished their rides unscathed in the Chinese
market garden at the bottom. Others became entangled in the council
installed barbed wire, and walked away more shredded than the cabbages
that were intended to soften their landing.

Original Ladder
Early 1900's

Step By Step Guide.
The Life On Perth 2009 Census of Jacobís Ladder confirmed 242
concrete steps from the top to the bottom. Surprisingly we
counted 242 steps during our 2008 Census of the Ladder. It
appears the number of steps does not vary much over the
years,
but whoís counting?

Back in 1909 our pioneers did it tough. The original staircase had 274
jarrah steps, and no offset landings to stop an unfortunate person
tumbling straight to the bottom. Did I forget to mention the splinters,
and nails protruding from the wood? There was no bottled water to quench
a tired thirst, nor the magnificent panorama of the modern city skyline to
reward all the effort.

Climbing
Tip:After
exhaustive research (and I mean exhaustive), we discovered it
was much easier to stride every step on the way down, and every
second step on the way up. Itís even easier if you just stay at
the top, and enjoy the view.

The original
construction fee was only £171/1/0,
as the Huck boys had whipped it up on the cheap. Admittedly
the wooden structure was a little rough around the edges, and
started to fall apart after the warranty expired. It was not
long before empty Coke bottles, and McDonalds wrappers claimed the
base as a fast food graveyard. Even the local lads refused to
take risks on the incline anymore. After more than 50 years of
ups and downs, the Perth City Council officially closed
Jacobís Ladder in 1961.

Several years
later, and after a few false starts Jacobís Ladder was reconstructed
with durable concrete steps. At £7500, it cost considerably
more than its predecessor, though it now included 18 landings, and a
lookout platform at the top. Today it serves as a shortcut up Mount
Eliza, and a challenge to lunchtime office workers wanting to shake
off those extra kilos.

A Step Out Of Line.

The original plans opted for a road up Mt Eliza
named Tryphena Terrace. Some maps still refer to the
path at the ladderís base by this name. In 1964 a
railway was discussed to replace the then
dilapidated staircase. Fortunately on both occasions
the solution was to take one step at a time.

Looking Up.

Looking Down.

Stairway To Heaven

How Did The
Staircase Get Its Name?

Residents who live near the top of Jacobís
Ladder enjoy magnificent views over Perth and
the Swan River. The real estate has always been
very expensive, and today only millionaires need
apply. Way back during the construction of the
staircase, one local resident likened the
hilltop palaces to a slice of Heaven. The idea
was not lost on real estate agent Cyril Dent,
who erected a sign near the staircase advising,
ďThis Way to Jacobís LadderĒ. It was a comical
reference to that other great ladder in the
Bible. Everybody had a good laugh at the time,
and have continued to do so, long after the sign
was removed.

The
Biblical Jacob's Ladder is described in the Book of Genesis.
The ladder was situated on Earth and reached all the way to
Heaven.

Step
Aerobics

In
the Book of Genesis (28:11-19) the angels of God were seen
ascending and descending Jacobís Ladder. Today heavenly
bodies still make a daily pilgrimage up and down Perthís
Jacobís Ladder, though they now wear tight lycra shorts, and
top end Nikes. Hundreds of fitness fanatics exercise every
morning, creating healthy traffic congestion on the steps.
Some are training for triathlons, and others have even gone
on to climb Mount Everest. These guys take it seriously, so
always stick to the left, and let them do all the passing.
With physiques to put mere mortals to shame, it is sometimes
better to act like a tourist when visiting the staircase.
You can then be excused for stopping at each landing, though
please donít ask for directions.

Professional stair climbers preparing to wake up the local
residents.

DID
YOU KNOW?

Residents who live at the top of Jacob's Ladder
no longer require alarm clocks. They can
now rely on grunting athletes, and screaming
boot camp style personal trainers.
Nothing quite beats a stranger yelling outside
your bedroom window at 6:00am. The
trainers say it's all about being fit. The
residents certainly wake up in one.
The trainers have been politely informed
that they'll have to tone down their
voices, if they wish to tone up their bodies. Fortunately no
one has complained
about noisy camera shutters, and exhausted
tourists.

GET YOUR LAZY #$@^ OUT OF BED NOW!

FOOTNOTE

If you explore the base
of the staircase, you can rediscover the Lost Step of Jacob's
Ladder. The number of steps between each landing is either
seven or seventeen. The only exception is the first sequence,
which contains an out of character sixteen steps. Step number
one has been encased in the bitumen of the pathway which leads up to
the staircase. It has lost its proper place in the
staircase, which technically has 243 steps! Check it out,
though we think the view at the top is much more interesting.

LOCATION: The steep drop at the end
of Cliff Street, West Perth.

Despite
forwarding an exciting screenplay to
Steven Spielberg, he strangely never produced, Indiana Jones and The Lost Step Of Jacob's Ladder.

The Da Jacob Code:
16-17-17-17-7-7-17-17-7-7-17-17-7-7-17-17-7-7-17 (Steps
between landings from base)